1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a connector apparatus used in a measuring apparatus. More specifically, the present invention is directed to such a connector apparatus for a measuring system, in which a measurement identification code or item in a ROM built in the connector is read out in accordance with a read command program stored in the measuring system, and a sensor is operated based on this measurement item.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventionally, as represented in FIG. 1, blood monitoring apparatus has been known such as Japanese Patent Application No. 4-33372 filed in 1992. This conventional blood monitoring apparatus includes a blood monitoring data transmitter 61 and a blood oxygen concentration monitoring receiver 67. The data transmitter 61 includes a LED 62, a light receiving element 63, an infrared transmitting/receiving circuit 65, a radio transmitter 66, and a transmitting antenna 61a. The blood oxygen concentration monitoring receiver 67 includes a receiving antenna 67a, an oxygen concentration threshold value detecting circuit 68, and a speaker 69 for warning a decrease in oxygen concentration.
When the infrared radiation emitted from the LED 62 penetrates through the arm 64 of the human body and is received by the light receiving element 63, the light receiving element 63 transmits wavelength data indicative of variations in the absorption ratio caused by the oxygen concentration in the blood to the infrared transmitting/receiving circuit 65 in this blood monitoring apparatus. The wavelength data acquired by the infrared transmitting/receiving circuit 65 is transmitted from the receiving antenna 67a via the transmitting antenna 61a to the blood oxygen concentration monitoring receiver 67.
Upon detection of lowering of the oxygen concentration, the oxygen concentration lowering warning speaker 69 is operated to announce that the oxygen concentration is lowered. The decrease of oxygen concentration caused by the wavelength data is detected by the oxygen concentration threshold value detecting circuit 68 employed in the blood oxygen concentration monitoring receiver 67.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, a liquid sensor is known such as Japanese Patent Application No. 4-74047 filed in 1992. This conventional liquid sensor includes a liquid concentration sensor 71 including a LED 72 and a light receiving element 73 dipped into the water bath 74; a liquid concentration judging circuit 76 connected to the liquid concentration sensor 71 by an optical fiber 75; and also a display 77.
When the liquid concentration sensor 71 is dipped into the water bath 74 and the light is irradiated from the LED 72 to the liquid contained in the water bath 74, the light propagated through this liquid is received by the light receiving element 73 in this conventional liquid sensor. Since the strengths, or intensity of the light received by the light receiving element 73 are in direct proportion to concentration of the liquid, this intensity data is processed in the liquid concentration judging circuit 76, and the processed data is displayed on the display 77.
In this case, when such data is produced indicating that the light having the specific wavelength is blocked, or passes through the liquid due to variation in the component of this liquid, chemical changes of the liquid can be detected.
In general, commercially available optical sensors are constructed of either a pair of light emitting element/light receiving element, or only a light receiving element manufactured in accordance with the particular measurement to be made.
In such an optical sensor and a measuring apparatus, on one hand, the optical sensor is limited to the particular specified measurement, for instance, oxygen concentration in blood, respiration periods, pulse rates, and to detect chemical changes in a specific fluid. On the other hand, the measuring apparatus is exclusively used with such a chemical sensor having the specified measurement.
Since connections for optical sensors with the measuring apparatus have not yet been standardized, the connection sequence for the optical sensor and the measuring apparatus is often difficult and must be performed manually every time this optical sensor is connected to the measuring apparatus.
Since keys are provided on the measuring apparatus for selecting one measurement from a plurality of possible measurements and the respective circuits are connected via wiring logic, a change of logic operation is not easily performed and the key operation becomes complex.
Furthermore, calibration is required every time the measurement is performed, measuring precision is deteriorated due to errors in calibration, and the corrective values must be modified in accordance with the measurement items.